ZincFive has introduced a Nickel-Zinc (NiZn) Retrofit Kit aimed at upgrading existing uninterruptible power supply (UPS) battery installations in mission-critical environments. The kit targets sites running legacy valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) strings, with ZincFive pitching it as a turnkey way to move to nickel-zinc chemistry without a full UPS battery system replacement.

The company describes the NiZn Retrofit Kit as a drop-in replacement for VRLA batteries that doesn’t require cabinet enclosure replacement, system redesign, or operational disruption. It’s built for compatibility with common three-phase UPS architectures and legacy cabinet form factors, with “installation-optimized system designs” intended to make retrofits repeatable across multiple sites.

For data center operators, the practical hook is avoiding the cost and risk of ripping out and rebuilding battery cabinets while still changing out the energy storage chemistry. Brownfield UPS work is where schedules are tight and access can be constrained, so a retrofit that keeps existing enclosures and layouts can reduce the scope of work and the downtime planning burden—if the “drop-in” promise holds up in the field.

ZincFive is also leaning on safety and compliance advantages it associates with nickel-zinc versus lithium-ion in retrofit environments. The company says its nickel-zinc chemistry avoids thermal runaway risk and “many of the regulatory challenges” tied to lithium-based systems, making it a fit for occupied or space-constrained sites. It also claims the NiZn Retrofit Kit can extend battery life to 15 years, compared with VRLA replacement cycles it characterizes as typically five to seven years.

“For the first time, operators have a practical path to extend battery life to 15 years while upgrading safety, sustainability, and performance – all within existing infrastructure,” said Tod Higinbotham, CEO of ZincFive.

Source: ZincFive